Toggle bolt



Aug. 21, 1951 J. H. MoLAT 2,565,391

TOGGLE BOLT Filed June 28, 1947 4o 33 26a ZZ/fl 26 7/ b FIG] FIGA FIG.I2 m 74 l JNI/ENTOR.

JOSEPH H. MOLAT ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOGGLE BOLT Joseph H. Molat, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 28, 1947, Serial N0. '7757,733

Y 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to toggle bolts. More particularly my invention is directed toward novel toggle bolt constructions,r of the type disclosed in my copending application,` Serial No. 699,519, filed September 26, 1946, newl abandoned, of which the present applicationis a continua tion-in-part, it being one of the objects of the present invention to generally improve4 upon the toggle bolt constructions of my said co-pending application.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved toggle bolt of the class described which shall be characterized bythe simplicity of its construction, of the ease of use and of. the high degree of its utility and effectiveness.

Still another object of my invention` is to provide an improved toggle boltv of the type whose ei'ective action is independent of the force of gravity and which at the same time shall be ef fective for use under substantially all types of inner Wall conditions where other toggle bolts cannot be used.

Other objects of my inventlo'nwill become apparent from the detailed description of the. lnvention to follow or will hereinafter be more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings.,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional ViewV through a portion of a Wall construction., showing the toggle bolt of my invention attached thereto `in effective position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational, view of the toggle bolt shown in Fig. 1 but before insertion into the Wall opening;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 'of F1'g..2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan viewthereof';

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view thereof as seen from the right hand end of the 3 illustration;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational View Vsimilar to Fig. 5 but as seen from the left .hand `vend `of* the Fig. 3 illustration;

Figs. '7 and 8 are development views of two of the parts of my toggle bolt construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the. swivel after being formed from the blank shown iin Fig. 8i;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to-Fig. 7., but .illustrating a modified form of my invention;`

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the toggle bolt of my invention madel in accordance with the blank shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a modif-led form of my invention;

Fig. 13 is a top planview'thereof;

Fig. 14 is an end view 'thereof 'viewed from 'the left hand end of Fig. 12';

Fig. 15 is a top plan view'of a swival only;

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line I6-l61ofFlgz 15.

Referring now in detail to th'efdraW/lngsl ihave shown, in Figs. 1 to 8, a form of toggle boltl representing an improvement over the construction shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 699,519 and comprising essentially a main frame 29, a swivel member 30 for carrying a bolt` 49 and spring 56 for normally resiliently maintaining the bolt 40 in angular relationship with respect to the frame 2U for effective use without depending on the force of gravity.

In accordance with the present invention the frame 20 is formed out of a single iiat sheet of metallic or other suitable material stamped. to form the blank 2l, as best shown in Fig. 7. The said blank 2l comprises a main rectangular shaped portion 22 and a strip 23 extending from one edge thereof. The portion 22 is designed to be folded along the fold lines a-a and b--b to form a channel shaped member having two side Walls 24 and 25 substantially parallel to each other and at right angles to the bottom Wall 26. The strip 23 is then folded inwardly on the fold line kc---c at substantially degrees to the plane of the side Wall 24, and is of such length as to reach across and abut the edge 25a of the opposite side wall 25, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The purpose and function of the strip 23 will soon become apparent.

Thevswivel member 30 is also formed of a single flat sheet of metallic or other suitable material which may be stamped to form the blank 3l as best shown in Fig. 8. The said blank 3| com-- prises -a main rectangular-shaped portion 32, a pair of opposite ears 33 extending longitudinally from the transverse edge of the portion 32 and a tab 34 extending transversely from a'longitudinal edge of the portion 32. The main portion 3'2 is 'designed to be folded on the fold linesA d--d and -e--e to form an inverted U-shaped member, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 9, comprising the wall 35 and side walls 36 substantially at right angles tothe said top wall. Each ear 33 is then bent on the fold line f-f to cause the said ear 33 to lie in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of its adjacent side wall 35. The tab 34 is angularly bent on the fold line g-g in a direction toward the inner surface of the top wall 35, and then again bent on the line joining the longitudinal edge of the portion 32 to assume the position shown in Fig. 9.

The swivel member is pivotally mountedv and captively held on the frame 2@ by projecting the ears 33 through a pair of aligned Opnrlgs 27 in the side Walls 24 and 25, by any means of assembly known to the art. A threaded opening: 3.1

is provided in the top Wall 35, designed to threadedly receive therein the bolt member 4D.

It is noted that the Vframe 26 is open at. the; right hand end; as viewed from Figs. 2, .3 and 5 and therefore the bolt :member 41), after .itzfhasj been received in the threaded opening 31 of the swivel 30 may be turned to the dot-dash line position 40 of Fig. 2, with its axis in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the frame 30. In this last named dot-dash line position the toggle bolt may be inserted through a wall opening for eiective use.

In certain types of wall interiors, a toggle bolt depending on the action of gravity cannot be satisfactorily used. One such situation is illustrated in Fig. l, where there is shown a wall W having an opening |9 through which a toggle bolt is to be inserted. It is noted that there is a transverse beam 29 within the wall space, adjacent to the opening I9. For this type of situation I provide my toggle bolt with a coil spring 50 disposed substantially within the channel of the frame 20 and leaving one end 50a passing through an opening 38 in the tongue 34 of the swivel 30 and attached thereto. The other end 50h of the spring 50 is looped around and attached to the transverse strip 23 of the frame 20. The tension of the spring 50 is such that normally the bolt 4U will assume the angular position with respect to the frame 2U as is shown in full lines in Fig. 2. To insert the toggle bolt into the opening I9 of the wall W, it is merely necessary to rotate the bolt 40 in a clockwise direction (as viewed from Fig. 2) against the action of the spring 5U, to the dotdash position. After insertion through the wall opening i9 the spring 50 will cause the frame 2U to assume its original angular position with respect to the bolt 46, irrespective of the force of gravity. While in this position the article A may be fastened in position against the wall W. An opening 26a in the bottom wall 26 slightly larger than the bolt 40 will permit the movement of fore reduce the cost. As noted in the drawings my modified form of swivel is formed from a nat sheet of material by die stamping the same and comprises a pair of ears 8| extending outwardly from the main body portion, these ears being similar in purpose and function to the ears 33 of the swivel 3D. A threaded opening 82 is provided, to receive the bolt 40 therethrough and a second opening84 is provided in an extending portion 83 designed to attachably receive one end of the spring 50.

In Figs. 12 through 14 I have shown another modification of my invention relating to the type of toggle bolt wherein two bolt members are employed. This form of my invention is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 and described and claimed in my said co-pending application Serial No. 699,519, and represents an improvement thereover.

As shown this form of my invention comprises a main channel-shaped frame 19, comprising the top wall 1| and side walls '12. The side -walls '|2 are provided with a pair of aligned openings 12a designed to pivotally receive therein the ears 'Ma of a swivel member l which may be similar in purpose and function as that of the swivels 30 or 8G, hereinbefore described and which threadedly receives therein a bolt member 9|. An opening 16a in the top wall 'H permits the free movement of the forward end of the bolt 9| therethrough. The side walls 12 are additionally provided with a pair of aligned slotted openings l between which there is mounted another swivel member lf3, similar to the bolt 4D therethrough to effectively hold the toggle bolt against withdrawal through the opening I9.

In Figs. l0 and 1l I have shown a modified form of my invention in which the same toggle bolt may be used in situations where the wall conditions are free of obstructions, and in the same manner as gravity actuated toggle bolts. As shown, the toggle bolt is similar in construction to that illustrated in Figs. l through 9 in every respect except that the main body portion 62 of the frame is made longer on the side opposite to that of the strip 23, and at about the point where the main body portion 22 of the frame 29 terminates there is provided a slitted opening 63. This slit 63, as best seen in the blank 6| of Fig. l0 extends across the bottom wall 26 and upwardly therefrom on the side walls 24 and 25, stopping short a relatively short distance from the free edges of the said walls 24 and 25. There is thus left a short interconnecting neck of rnaterial 65 adjacent each side wall free edge.

It is thus seen that if the Wall conditions permit, the toggle bolt of my Figs. l0 and l1 form of invention may be used in the regular manner of using toggle bolts and as explained in connection with the Figs. l through 9 form of invention. However, if wall conditions do not permit the use of this elongated Figs. l0 and 1l form, then the user can easily snip olf the necks B5 with a suitable tool to sever the same from the frame and thus have left the same toggle bolt as illustrated and described in the Figs. 1 through 9 form of my invention.

Instead of the construction of the swivel 30 as shown in Fig. 9, I may use the type of swivel 80 shown in Figs. l5 and 16. This form of swivel is much simpler to manufacture and will therethe swivel ,74 and having the ears 73a. thereof pivotally and slidably received in said openings 16. A second bolt member 96 is received in the swivel member 13 and a slotted opening 15 substantially corresponding to the length of the slotted openings 76 are provided in the side walls 12. As noted in Fig. 12 when it is desired to insert the toggle bolt 'l behind a wall through an opening, the bolts 99 and 9| are swung around by rotating the swivels'l and 'ifi respectively in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from Fig. l2, to the dot-dash positions 99' and 9|. After insertion through the wall opening the frame 70 will pivotally swing, by the force of gravity, to its original position and will be retained in the usual manner. In accordance with my invention I position the pivotal points of the swivels 'I3 and 'I4 at different levels and am thus able to cause the bolts 9B and 9| to assume a position in which the axis of said bolts 96 and 9| are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame. It is thus seen that in view of my above described arrangement of theA swivels i3 and ld the opening in the wall need never be made larger than is necessary to permit the passage of the frame 1D therethrough.

In accordance-with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, together with vthe construction which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends torsuch use.v

I claim:

1. A toggle bolt of the character described comprising a main frame formed from a single at sheet of material comprising a main rectangular portion and a strip extending therefrom and folded to provide a bottom ywall and a pair of side walls angularly bent at substantially right angles to said bottom wall to form a channel space therebetween and said extending strip forming an end Wall portion for said frame at one extreme end thereof leaving the opposite end of said frame open, a swivel member, means for mounting said swivel member on said frame for free pivotal movement in said channel space, a threaded opening in said swivel member adapted to receive a bolt member therethrough, an opening in said bottom Wall of said frame adapted to freely receive therethrough the for- Ward end of said bolt member, and a coil spring, one end of said coil spring being Xed to said swivel member and the opposite end of said spring being fixed to said end wall portion, said spring being under such tension whereby to rotate said swivel member to a position Where the bolt member will normally and resiliently be caused to be disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said frame.

2. A toggle bolt according to claim l in which the said bottom wall and portions of said side Walls are slotted at a point between said swivel member and the said open end of said frame whereby the frame may be manually severed at the location of said slots for the purposes set forth.

JOSEPH I-I. MOLAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,159,420 Rubly Nov. 9, 1915 1,271,763 Poole July 9, 1918 1,344,720 Royer June 29, 1920 1,373,188 Goewey Mar. 29, 1921 1,374,926 Karitzky Apr. 19, 1921 1,511,746 Noll Oct. 14, 1924 1,956,623 Pleister May 1, 1934 2,301,135 Molat Nov. 3, 1942 

